This is a Reprint From a National Insulation Association E-Mail Newsletter

The National Insulation Association (NIA) is thrilled to share that on Monday, June 23, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4801, the Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act! The legislation solely discusses insulation and requires the Secretary of Energy to prepare a report on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and water use when examining potable hot water in federal buildings. The bill was introduced by Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and co-sponsored by Representative Jerry McNerney (D-CA), who are both enthusiastic about the potential for mechanical insulation and this bill to save energy, water, and money.

If this bill is enacted it could provide NIA and the federal government with more concrete evidence to further the case for the increased use of insulation in both the governmental and private sectors. Now that the bill has passed in the one half of Congress, NIA is looking to garner support in the Senate, which will also need to approve the bill for it to be signed into law by the President. In the Senate, the bill will have to be introduced, and then it will get sent to the relevant Senate Committee for discussion and approval. If the Committee approves the bill, it can then be brought to the Senate floor for discussion and a vote.

In regard to the passage of the Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act, Representative Kinzinger said, "I'm proud to see the House investing in research that could significantly save both financial and natural resources all across the country. With the federal government being the single largest consumer of energy in the U.S., doing our best to maximize the potential savings from improved insulation systems is a commonsense step I think everybody can agree on. I hope the Senate takes up this bill and moves quickly to begin this important analysis" said Kinzinger.

The co-sponsor of the bill, Representative McNerney, said, "I'm pleased that members on both sides of the aisle agree on the value of using technology to maximize efficiency in our federal buildings. I am confident the data we gather through this study will help both the public and private sectors invest wisely in energy- and water-saving technologies." It is a tremendous victory to have our bill nearly halfway through the enactment process, and we are eager to begin working with allies in the Senate to introduce and pass this important legislation.

Due to the fact that mechanical insulation has so much to offer to other industries, other groups joined NIA in calling for the passage of this bill. Nineteen organizations from the energy and water sectors, including ASHRAE, the International Code Council (ICC), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), and others, joined together to advocate for this bill and signed a letter urging the House of Representatives to pass this legislation. These groups, as well as the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (PHCC), fully support this legislation and view it as an opportunity to identify cost-effective ways to save energy and water. Given that this bill is beneficial to multiple industries, NIA is optimistic about working with our allies to get this bill passed and signed into law, which will be hugely beneficial for the members of NIA and the insulation industry.

A video of the House Energy and Commerce Committee discussing and approving the bill, and a video of Representative Kinzinger's speech bringing the Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act to the floor of the House of Representatives for the vote is available on NIA's YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/NIAInfo, or you can read the full text of the speech on the Sunlight Foundation's Scout website at http://tinyurl.com/q5lhx76. Scout is a free service that allows users to sign up for electronic alerts for particular issues they are interested in. NIA encourages its members to sign up for alerts about our pending legislation so they can follow all the developments as we work to support the passage of this bill.

NIA would like to thank Representatives Kinzinger and McNerney for all their work in getting this bill passed through the House of Representatives. We are also pleased to announce all the organizations that recognize the value of mechanical insulation and supported the Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act:

AEC Science & Technology, LLC
The Air Barrier Association of America
Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE)
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE)
American Public Power Association (APPA)
ASHRAE
CONTRACTOR magazine
Dryvit Systems, Inc.
EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA)
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
The Institute for Market Transformation (IMT)
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (The IAPMO Group)
The International Code Council (ICC)
Mechanical Hub
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association
SUN DAY Campaign
Water Quality Association (WQA)